- David Spinozza
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David Spinozza is an American musician (guitar), who worked with former Beatles Paul McCartney and John Lennon during the 1970s,[1] and had a long collaboration with singer-songwriter James Taylor, producing Taylor's album Walking Man.
Spinozza worked with McCartney during sessions for McCartney's Ram album during 1971. When the chance came to work with Lennon two years later, as Yoko Ono prepared her Feeling the Space album and Lennon his Mind Games, Spinozza discovered that Lennon was not aware he had previously worked with McCartney, and was afraid he would be fired if Lennon found out, given their recent feuding in the media. When Lennon did learn of it, his only comment was that McCartney "knows how to pick good people."
Spinozza contributed to Ono's album A Story, recorded during 1974 (but not released until 1998), served as her bandleader during a residency at Kenny's Castaways, and rehearsed Ono's band to tour her native Japan, but parted ways with her when the tour began. After no communication for several years, Ono contacted Spinozza late in 1980, for his permission to release "It Happened", a track from A Story, as a B-side to "Walking on Thin Ice", her tribute to the recently-assassinated John Lennon and the last song they had recorded together. Spinozza gave his permission. The track appeared with a new coda, recorded by Lennon and Ono's band from Double Fantasy.
Spinozza also appeared on Ringo Starr's 1977 album Ringo the 4th, earning him the distinction of having recorded with three of the four Beatles.
Spinozza played the guitar solo on Dr. John's hit, "Right Place Wrong Time", Paul Simon's albums Paul Simon and There Goes Rhymin' Simon, Don McLean's American Pie, and later made contributions to the soundtracks of the movies Dead Man Walking, Happiness, and Just the Ticket.
He held the first guitar chair in the Broadway orchestra of Hairspray, and is currently[when?] appearing with his reunited band from 1973, "L'Image" which also includes Mike Mainieri, Warren Bernhardt, Tony Levin and Steve Gadd.
Notes
- ^ Rodriguez, Robert (2010). Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Beatles' Solo Years 1970-1980. Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 205–207. ISBN 9780879309688. http://books.google.com/books?id=ogTOR_bfXXkC&pg=PA205. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
References
- Loving John by May Pang (Warner Books, 1982)
- The Ballad of John and Yoko by The Editors of Rolling Stone (Rolling Stone Press, 1982)
- The Last Days of John Lennon by Frederic Seaman (Warner Books, 1991)
External links
Categories:- American rock guitarists
- Living people
- American rock guitarist stubs
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